


A Promise

by theladyscribe



Category: Babylon Berlin (TV)
Genre: A Minor Canon Divergence, F/M, Sort Of, Timestamp, Triple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 00:31:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18728029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theladyscribe/pseuds/theladyscribe
Summary: Her right hand was wrapped in a plaster cast, healing, but she had developed pneumonia from the water in her lungs. The nurse told Gereon that the fever had nearly run its course, but Charlotte was in no state to leave their care just yet.





	A Promise

**Author's Note:**

> I marathoned this show (and promptly read everything for this pairing that was available), and then had to write something. This is slightly AU and slightly not, in the sense that there is nothing in canon that directly contradicts its premise.

Gereon watched Charlotte as she slept peacefully in her hospital bed. Her right hand was wrapped in a plaster cast, healing, but she had developed pneumonia from the water in her lungs. The nurse told Gereon that the fever had nearly run its course, but Charlotte was in no state to leave their care just yet. Today, she had taken a walk on the grounds after lunch, but that was nearly too much; she returned to her room but fell asleep almost immediately and seemed likely to sleep for the rest of the day.

"She needs rest and time," the nurse said, "but she'll be fine."

He visited when he could, between trying to sort out the mess Bruno had left behind and the everyday chaos of the homicide unit. Sometimes he and Charlotte played cards or talked over the cases he was working on. Other days, he read to her from the paper or they listened to the radio together. And every once in a while, there were days like today, when he simply watched her breathe, in and out, slow and steady. Every beat of her heart, every inhale and exhale, was a gift, something precious and treasured.

If Gereon were more daring, he would put his hand on her breast, just above her heart, to feel beyond a doubt the life in her. But he wasn't so daring as that, so instead, he kept vigil from his seat beside her hospital bed, counting the minutes by the rise and fall of her chest.

He checked the time; he would need to go soon, as he had a meeting with Gräf, but Charlotte still hadn't stirred.

Gereon reached for her left hand and pressed a tender kiss to her palm. "I'll be back later," he whispered. "I promise."


End file.
